Talk:Sweet tea

Soluble

"In other parts of the United States, displaced Southerners and others who want to sweeten their iced tea may need to dissolve sugar in the already cold tea themselves, a difficult proposition."

The solubility of sugar in water varies depending on the water's temperature; basically, as the water's temperature goes up, so does the amount of sugar you can dissolve in it. This is also a significant fact in making most desserts and candies. - jredmond 15:45, 10 Nov 2004 (UTC)

Isn't there a scientific name for that, something like "molar solubility"? Ellsworth 14:47, 11 Nov 2004 (UTC)

Probably, but IANAC (I am not a chemist) — I can only explain it in laymen's and cooking terms. - jredmond 15:41, 11 Nov 2004 (UTC)

As a Southerner living in Minnesota, I suggest the following alternative if both hot and cold unsweet teas are availible: Put the sugar in the glass first, stir in enough hot tea to dissolve it all, and add ice and unsweetened iced tea. The result is a lukewarm approximation of proper sweet tea.

Silly Wikipedians! Under Soluble: "The solubility of one substance dissolving in another is determined by the intermolecular forces between the solvent and solute, temperature, the entropy change that accompanies the solvation, the presence and amount of other substances, and sometimes pressure or partial pressure of a solute gas." So unless there are special intermolecular forces at work, or a lot of entropy (using a blender), or special substances present (for instance catalysts such as enzymes), or dissolved gaseous pressure is somehow working in your favor, it's best to add the sugar when the water's still hot. My pantry carries very little variety in the way of enzymatics and intermolecular bond modifiers that work with the substances found in a good glass of sweet tea. I have heard of folks who insist on adding sugar before heating and brewing, while brewing (when water is removed from heat and tea is added), and after tea is brewed but before it is iced. Apparently the amount of sugar dissolved in water can impact the amount of dissolvable solids that can be absorbed from the tea leaves. Whether this significantly can affect the taste is at the heart of many sweet tea “debates,” though most such debaters will not phrase it in similar terms. DurtyWilly 02:05 30 Apr 2004 (UTC)

Yes. For anyone who's interested, the contribution of mixing entropy to Gibbs free energy increases with temperature (look for the "TS" term in the equation), because mixtures are always more entropic than pure substances. One can also see this from a microscopic point of view, since it's easy to imagine kinetic energy from thermal fluctuations catapulting the occasional molecule across a phase boundary, and generally serving to mix things up.--Joel 03:45, 12 Jun 2005 (UTC)

Recipe

Anyone think we should have a good recipe of sweet tea on here? --MaxPower 16:11, 2004 Nov 19 (UTC)

Go for it! Ellsworth 22:10, 22 Apr 2005 (UTC)

Here's mine: Add 3/4 of a cup of cane sugar to a 1 gallon pitcher. Fill with near boiling water and add two family size tea bags, preferably Lipton. Immediatly refrigerate until cool. If anyone thinks this is appropriate please feel free to add it to the entry. I'll let y'all decide. Oh, and adding sugar to cold tea doesn't work at all. Even if the sugar more or less dissolves the flavor is NOT the same. When I'm north of the MD line I order a glass of hot water and ice tea. I add sugar to the hot water and add that to the tea. This is also how you get sweet tea in Taiwan. They serve you a glass of unsweet iced tea and a little pitcher of hot sugar syrup. You just add as much syrup as you like. Scottanon 02:36, 23 December 2005 (UTC)

Here's my recipe: I boil two quart-size tea tea bags on the stove (I only use Red Diamond, which is from Alabama, so I'm not sure about the availability elsewhere). While it's boiling, I put 1 1/2 cups sugar in a gallon pitcher. After the tea begins to boil, I turn it off, pour it OVER the sugar, and then stir. Its seems to me that it's made differently in different places... but everyone I know here in rural Central Alabama makes tea this way. BettyAnn 09:16, 12 May 2006 (UTC)

• Scottanon (and everyone else), have you tried this north of the "Sweet Tea" line? Order a cup of hot tea and a glass full of ice, add the sugar to the tea then dump it in the ice? You may have to get "double bags" so it doesn't dilute too bad. It's too dang hot down here in Florida to wait for the fridge, so iced tea is often made double-strength & double sugar (or stronger), and then it's poured over lots of ice. This is done everywhere here, from fast-food places to homestyle-food restaurants. You would think it would make the tea coudy, but I've rarely seen it so. Durty Willy 23:50, 27 August 2006 (UTC)

I've tried variations on that theme. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. Usually I end up with a tiny little glass of okay tea, which is better then nothing. Scottanon 13:52, 29 August 2006 (UTC)

• An interesting thing to try, also, is adding cane sugar to a dry pot, heating the sugar until it starts to caramelize, then adding your water, etc.. I discovered this one by accident (won't go in to particulars). It adds a distinctive flavor (not to mention an element of danger pouring water over the molten sugar;)). I actually prefer more conventional methods, but a few people I had shown this to like the nutty/fruity caramelized flavor.Durty Willy 23:50, 27 August 2006 (UTC)

Rude

Why is the bit about too much sugar rude? There are many people who brew their tea and then flood it with sugar which therefore completely ruins the tea! I think that if someone could expand on this and smooth out the rough edges it could be a worthwhile contribution. Also, isn't it rude to just take something out that you don't like without discussing it first? Maybe you could make it more informative and less rude? Jaberwocky6669 05:59, Jan 29, 2005 (UTC)

I mean that is fine with me. I apologize if I offended you, it just didn't seem like it was a needed in the article. If you want to rewrite/put it back in, that will be aok with me. I gotta a little trigger happy with my edit button. Again I apologize. --MaxPower 19:24, 2005 Jan 29 (UTC)

While the sentence may have been rude, I don't want to contribute sub-standard information. I am a relatively new contributor here, I have only been correcting grammar and stuff but never before contributed anything. I actually got the idea from something, I think that it was H.G. Wells (or somebody, I forgot) who made a critique about people who use too much sugar. I am ok with it though I dont have to put it back. =) !!!!

Actually, that could be a pretty good quote if you could find the source. Then you could add it to Wikiquote even. It just seemed like it was some random dude's opinion, which wouldn't be very encyclopedic. Another problem, if it *was* HG Wells, it probably wouldn't be a good quote to use since he was English and not Southern (American). I imagine they like their tea differently than Southerners. But if it was a quote by some like say, Robert E. Lee or Mark Twain, that would be excellent. Let me know what you find out! --MaxPower 14:04, 2005 Jan 31 (UTC)

I tried to put in a compromise - indicating that the sweetness of the beverage can be a contentious issue - and added a common quip in the South. Ellsworth

I re-inserted the common quip. Anyone object? "Ridiculous" seems a bit strong of a descriptor. But I will try to find a source. Ellsworth 21:18, 19 August 2006 (UTC)

Looks like the quip is not going to make it as part of the article. For the record, the quip goes "Would you like a teabag with that glass of Karo syrup?" Ellsworth 20:42, 9 August 2007 (UTC)

Sweet tea typically contains less sugar and fewer calories than soft drinks and juices(eg Apple Juice, Orange Juice, and Grape Juice all typically have more calories per serving than sweet tea). Therefore, what's the point in making sugar content part of the article? That seems like more personal agenda than useful information.69.134.217.120 18:57, 10 November 2006 (UTC)

Two cups to the half gallon seems a lot. My family makes it sweet enough to rattle my teeth, and they only use a little over a cup to the half gallon. I need to quiz some people on this one. Wyrmis 07:17, 1 December 2006 (UTC)

green tea

Can someone verify that the majority of sweet tea consumed in the pre-war ear was in fact green tea? While I personally find this tasty, it surprises me and there are no refrences given. --Zantastik 20:09, 9 Apr 2005 (UTC)

The user who posted the remarks about green tea emailed me -- here is her email: "A quick google will turn up the 1879 cookbook. Here's the page that references iced tea. [1] This is also another good source [2]. I thank her for her information --Zantastik 01:39, 28 Apr 2005 (UTC)

Lemon

How common is lemon in sweet tea? Tea#United States only mentions lemon in hot tea. It seems to be quite common in the (apparently compromise?) commercially bottled sweet teas available in California, and I remember seeing something about it in a documentary on Americans living in England. If lemon is uncommon, there may be an error in the lemonade article.--Joel 03:27, 12 Jun 2005 (UTC)

Lemon is a ubiquitous garnish in sweet tea (at least in my 31 years experience in Florida, as well as Georgia, the Carolinas, and other South-East States). In most establishments (even some fast food restaurants) a wedge of lemon is served attached to the rim of the glass, or simply dropped into the cup. Usually, lemon juice is not added to fresh sweet tea; the consumer will squeeze the juice from the lemon itself, or drop the slice into the tea and allow the flavor to slowly infuse the beverage. Sometimes, the lemon is truly just garnish, as it can be served sliced as a thin disk instead of a wedge, unsuitable for squeezing and too small to add much flavor just floating around. Adding lemon is not particularly exclusive to sweet tea, per se, but in fresh iced tea in general, sweet or unsweet. In bottled or canned iced tea, however, it can be difficult to find a brand that does not contain lemon flavoring; even unflavored, unsweetened iced tea often contains the sour additive citric acid (as a preservative, no doubt, but it still noticeably affects flavor). I believe the lemonade article is incorrect, and will think about planning to begin to consider correcting it. I have never in my life of living in the South heard of anyone using tea instead of water in anything close to the same proportions as the US version of lemonade, though it may indeed be popular in some areas. It is a fairly widespread practice to mix lemonade and sweet tea half-and-half. Usually this is not a menu item, but it is commonly ordered by some Southerners. Most experienced wait staff will know exactly what is meant. There is even a variant of Arizona Iced Tea [[3]] sold down here that claims to be half-and-half, endorsed by (and named after) Arnold Palmer [[4]]. The Tea in the United States article subsection may need to be adjusted as well, as in the South, a slice of lemon in iced tea is more common than no lemon, and hot tea is rarely served with lemon. I may cut and paste the sentence in the article in question so it applies to tea in general in the US, regardless of temperature. Does anyone think this lemon discussion should be part of the sweet tea article, slimmed down a little? (I have a hard time not being verbose.)--DurtyWilly 03:55, 17 June 2005 (UTC)

Well, I think it should, cuz I'm from central miss'ssippi, and i ain't seen sweet tea without it. Bandgeek100 00:31, 12 August 2006 (UTC)

Improper Sweet Tea and Sweet Tea line.

Being from the South I grew up drinking sweet tea. Actually we had to water it down when I was a kid because it was made too sweet. Anyway as all southerner's learn sweet tea is limited to the south. Actually from my travel the "sweet tea line" is probably on the northern border of Tennessee. East is Georgia. West I'm not too sure but I assume the Mississippi is a starting point. Cracker Barrel does take the sweet tea a little further north than mast restaurants. I actually found some in northern Virgina.

To my original point. To those places in the South that do not serve sweet tea (a crime I believe) and to the rest of the world. When someone asks for sweet tea and you do not have it and they get unsweet tea, you have to assume they are going to sweeten the tea. There is an art to this and getting it "just right". So PLEASE remember not to come back and give a refill until the glass is empty. Refilling a half full glass of sweet tea with unsweet tea ruins the mixture. jager 18:32, 26 December 2005 (UTC)

• I added a "sweet tea line" such as the "Mason Dixon line". It would be nice to define the boundaries where sweet tea is generally served. jager 18:39, 26 December 2005 (UTC)

• I live in Richmond and sweet tea is a staple here. I think the boundary would go at least as far north as Virginia.

• Great - I am going from my travels which were alot through the SE and Midewest in the 90s. Not as much toward east coast.

• Added south florida as outside the sweet tea line... it is just not easily found south of Orlando.--Napnet 17:31, 2 February 2006 (UTC)

feel free to correct the Sweet Tea Line on the sweet tea page. jager 03:55, 30 December 2005 (UTC)

• Sweet tea is most definitely common in Arkansas and (at least) Southeast Missouri and in at least some parts of Louisiana, so the line is NOT the Mississippi river but somewhere West of it. Jager makes a good comment regarding not refilling sweet tea with unsweetened tea.

Incidentally, sweet tea in the form of bottled 'Snapple is available everywhere. In the north they frequently have no fresh-brewed cold tea at all and if you ask for sweet tea, they will look now look at you funny and then give you a Snapple. (In my opinion Snapple does NOT qualify as tea at all.)

• I had no problems getting sweet tea anywhere in the Carolinas, so I'm assuming the eastern border is the Atlantic Ocean and not Georgia. Sweet tea is becoming increasingly popular in Kentucky and southern Ohio (south of I-70), but I don't think we're quite ready to move the line northward as one still gets blank stares in Columbus, Cincinnati, and Louisville when ordering the beverage at a restaurant that doesn't specialize in southern cuisine. Might I propose the McDonald's test? If you get blank stares ordering the beverage at a fast food restaurant such as McDonald's, you're probably outside the line. This, of course, does not include KFC and other fried chicken QSR's. -- SwissCelt 05:39, 23 March 2006 (UTC)

Also, there is a now a Waffle House in Northern Delaware just over the border from Pennsylvania.THB 00:26, 5 February 2006 (UTC)

Well, we ALWAYS drink it down here in mid-Miss'ssippi. Heck, my brother had seven cavities once cuzof all the tea he done drunk. Bandgeek100 00:34, 12 August 2006 (UTC)

I live in North Carolina and I have NEVER been to a restaurant that did not serve sweet tea. About the western border, I know that it can be hard to get sweet tea in many parts of Texas. You either get unsweetened or raspberry. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 65.190.75.236 (talk) 02:32, 20 December 2007 (UTC)

Sweeteners & objectivity

I would question the objectivity of the statements on the taste of sweeteners. I would suggest that this passage be removed or amended.

Sweet tea is awesome

I'm from Cali and i spent a summer in DC. the sweet tea is SO GOOD and i can never get it here. no matter how much I try to explain it, it just isnt as good. - btw the recipe above is awesome, it works beautifully67.180.108.210 00:05, 28 March 2006 (UTC)

Chinese Sweet Tea

There is also a Chinese Sweet Tea - an herbal tea which is made from the leaves of Chinese Blackberry (Rubus suavissimus). These leaves contain a natural sweetener, called Rubusoside, which is 200 times as sweet as cane sugar. The tea has long been used to alleviate kidney symptoms, and a recent Japanese study also indicates that it has anti-inflammatory effects and helps against allergies.

Except this is not tea. And has nothing to do with southern sweet tea. And I don't know what chinese people call it but they almost certainly don't use the words "sweet tea" since they're speaking chinese. Why not start a new article about this kidney medicine, rather than jamming it in here? 70.231.227.159 03:14, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

I've added a tag to this section & after I do some more research I'll be back.. 24.124.29.130 08:57, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

I agree. It should be split. Wayne Goode 17:30, 12 September 2007 (UTC)

sweet tea versus sweetened iced tea

I'm not an expert on this subject, but my impression is that there's a distinct cultural/culinary phenomenon specific to the American South termed "sweet tea", and that this is distinct from the more general topic of sweetening iced tea with sugar. For example, in Germany and Canada iced tea is almost always served sweet, but that doesn't seem to be what this article is really about... or if it is, then the statement in the intro that sweet tea "enjoys most of its popularity in the Southern United States" isn't correct, because sweetened iced tea is also very popular in other countries. Maybe someone who knows more could clarify whether there's a distinction here. --Delirium 23:32, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

Contradiction

This article contradicted American Tea Culture's description of how sweet tea is made. That article said it's brewed at double-strength, this article said half-strength. The former is correct (or at least more correct), both in my own experience and by logic: iced tea is substantially diluted by the melting ice, and in a tall glass of iced/sweet tea, half the volume is ice anyway. Making half strength tea to begin with would mean 1/4 strength tea for drinking. Seems unlikely. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.95.50.34 (talk) 07:12, 5 November 2007 (UTC)